I played this on Steam, but this is my game of the decade. So far I put around 1100 hours into the game over several, and hope to go back to see the newest additions - they keep adding stuff. This game will appeal to those who favor self-directed exploration. It's really _not_ for goal driven players who want the game to present fast paced missions or challenges. There are some goals, but it's not that kind of game by design and you can mostly pursue them or not. At it's core the game is a chill exploration experience, and many days in the game might be "let's see what's over here." Everything about the game is at the player's discretion. Do you want to be a space hobo? That's OK. Want to spend 100 hours on the first planet? That's OK too. Want to build a fleet? That's OK too. Want to just explore and see planet and animal variation? That's OK. Build bases or networks of bases and manufacture/craft some agriculture or mfg goods or farming? That's OK. Explore underwater depths? Look for a cool ship? Find a planet with rare resource? Find the most beautiful planet? Find and earthlike planet to live on? There are lots of ways to to spend your playtime. For the longest time the biggest thrill for me was entering the atmosphere of a new planet and going down to land to see what new ecosystem and animals I might find. Eventually you become accustomed to the limits and tendencies of the procedural generation systems, but even then you'll occasionally be surprised by what the game presents. This is the type of unrushed, chill, exploration driven game I've wanted to play since I was a kid. (The hardest part of the game is likely at the start, so don't get discouraged if your starting situation is challenging. I've died when beginning a new game despite playing 100s of hours at the time, so it can happen if the environment is bad, but it's really not a setback - the game will restart you there. Pay attention - it's part of the story)
This was better than I expected. I'm not a platformer fan, but this game is much more puzzler than platformer, at least until you get to the later levels, but by the end I'd been jumping around so much with the goat that I was also competent in the required platforming also. Most of the puzzles are not overly hard, but there a few head scratchers. Often there's some trial and error involved (and dying) while you're learning how a level works, but usually it's a matter of discovering the proper sequence of steps, and then executing the plan. Only toward the end does the "execution" of the plan become the more challenging part of the equation requiring precision timing and moves. Really good puzzles. Fun gameplay. Not too frustrating, but still challenging. Good difficulty curve.
Hey all, I'm just writing here because I enjoyed this game alot and wanted to provide my perspective, which differs from many of the negative reviews. This is a puzzle game / walking simulator with some mild platforming elements. I played the game probably a year or more ago, and it's certainly memorable in my case. Pros: - I loved the visuals and huge sense of scale. I often found myself climbing up to a high point just to get a different view. - I loved exploring the atmosphere and foreign landscape. - I loved the idea, and the juxtaposition of familiar with unfamiliar. - I liked trying to get to some places that gamers aren't supposed to be able to reach. (I actually wish there were more easter egg-type rewards for exploring.) - Really good music - synced up with actions - kindof like the music is cheering you on in places. - The mystery of what's going on in the world is effective to facilitate the exploring. - developer participated in one of the gaming forums which I appreciate. Cons: - a little too much jumping in a few places that can be frustrating for this kind of game. - the game invites you to explore the big world, but doesn't reward exploration as much as it seems like it could. This type of game likely appeals to somebody who just likes to look around. - The "completionist" mineral hunting is not a very good incentive to explore imho. Not far into the story you're totally uninterested in finding rocks. But it would be cool to happen upon ancillary parts of the world to make it feel more complete. - I encountered a bug - frustrating issue in a platforming section that I found had turned me around after I died, so I was actually running backwards for a bit - but nothing game-breaking. Anyhow, I just wanted to give a positive viewpoint on the game. It's one of the more memorable games I played in the last year or two - and I'd hate for some to miss it if it's their kind of thing. If the above sounds interesting to you, give it a go.
I don't care much for arbitrary puzzlers - but this mostly physics based puzzler was quite fun. The environment was very nice/atmospheric - as was the subtle music and sound fx. I only had to consult a walk-through once which is a plus in my book. I hate arbitrary puzzles with non-logical solutions - but this had none of that. I found myself wanting a better global explanation for what had just happened after I finished, but it leaves something to think about. Note - there are at least 2 endings that I've seen - and I think the two possible endings I've seen will give you insight as to what the game is trying to communicate. Bottom Line: It's worth a play in an afternoon or two.
